RB Leipzig 1-1 Bayern Munich: Three talking points | Bundesliga 2019-20
This was a much-anticipated game between the two top teams of the Bundesliga, who are both hungry for the title this season. For the first time, RB Leipzig were above their opposition in the league table as they were looking to disrupt the overarching dominance of Bayern, who look to win their eighth successive title of this season.
Robert Lewandowski scored the first goal within three minutes, after he was through on goal with a pass from Thomas Muller. A penalty decision in the 37th minute was overruled by VAR after Marcel Sabitzer was perceived to challenge Lucas Hernandez unfairly in the box.
It seemed as though Bayern would end the first half on top but a penalty was given, this time at the other end of the pitch. Lucas Hernandez was the culprit as he brought down Yussuf Poulsen inside the box. Emil Forsberg converted the penalty to give his side the equaliser.
Although both sides had chances in the second half, the goalkeepers ensured that the match would remain an equal affair. Without any further delay, let us look at the three talking points from the match.
#1 A game of two halves
The first half was dominated by Bayern Munich, who had close to 70% of possession and the lion’s share of chances. The Bavarian side scored quickly through Lewandowski in the third minute, when Muller stole the ball from Lukas Klostermann.
The recently turned 30 year old immediately played a through ball to the Pole, who wrong-footed Péter Gulácsi to slot the ball into the bottom right corner. After the goal, Bayern were in complete control. They were able to retrieve the ball from the opposition and slow the play down until the right opportunity arrived.
On the other hand, Leipzig were much more erratic in the first half as they played many slopped passes. Their defensive positioning was quite poor and this led to Bayern’s first goal. However, they were able to grab a goal before the break and improved drastically afterwards.
They pressed Bayern constantly, causing them to lose possession. This allowed Julian Nagelsmann’s side to create more chances. This was evident right at the start of the second half, with two chances from Marcel Halstenberg and Nordi Mukiele blocked by Benjamin Pavard and Manuel Neuer respectively.
In the end, it was a great game to watch for fans and neutrals alike with both teams giving a high-octane performance.
